On-again, off-again efforts to ban smoking on state coastal beaches are currently “on-again.”

Tuesday, a State Senate committee approved an amended measure promoted by Assemblyman Paul Koretz of West Hollywood to ban smoking on state coastal beaches.

Koretz’s earlier bill was turned back by the State Senate Natural Resources Committee just days after Koretz held a press conference on a beach in Santa Monica to announce his measure.

Koretz’s original legislation would have included a $250 fine for smoking on a public coastal beach.

After the proposed legislation was turned down by the State Senate Natural Resources Committee, Koretz amended his proposal, reducing the $250 fine and giving coastal cities and counties the option to pass tougher or weaker laws against smoking on coastal beaches.

Los Angeles County supervisors Tuesday, June 22nd, banned smoking on Mothers Beach in the Marina from Memorial Day through Labor Day, but allowed smoking to continue in adjacent parking lots.